Restaurant owner fined £6000 after mice and cockroaches found at 'filthy' central London eatery

A restaurant owner has been fined £6,000 after mice and cockroaches were discovered by health inspectors at a "filthy" central London eatery which has now been shut down.

Jonathan Wen, 63, was criticised by Westminster City Council as they branded his restaurant Malaysia Kopi Tiam on Charing Cross Road a "serious threat" to public health.

Inspectors warned him to improve the restaurant's hygiene and safety last year but returned to discover a pest infestation.

Evidence: mice were found to eaten their way through food bags (Picture: Westminster City Council)
Mr Wen pleaded guilty to two charges relating to pest control and non-compliance with a hygiene improvement notice during a hearing at Westminster Magistrates Court this week.

The council's food safety manager James Armitage said the fine should "serve as a warning" to restaurant owners who "don’t take their responsibilities seriously."

'Filthy': cockroaches were discovered (Picture: Westminster City Council)
He said: "When our food safety officers come across a restaurant run as badly as Malaysia Kopi Tiam, we will act quickly and decisively.

"The owners were given notice to improve hygiene and safety last year. However, they didn’t act and when we returned the restaurant was filthy, infested with mice and cockroaches and posed a serious threat to anyone eating there."

In a recent online review, one customer was critical of the restaurant's "extremely dirty" table, adding; "We will not eat here again".